Subject: State of implementation of the regional operational programme (ROP) for Calabria 2014-2020

In reply to Written Question P-003303-18 concerning a performance review with regard to the achievement of the intermediate targets of the ROP for Calabria, the Commission stated: ‘On 10 July 2018, the Italian authorities submitted a request to amend the Calabria regional operational programme. At present, the amount to be certified under the Calabria operational programme in order to avoid the automatic decommitment at the end of 2018 is EUR 446 million’.

To date, the Calabria Region has not officially reported on the outcome of this request and it is not possible to trace an updated indication of the expenditure trend certified under the Calabria ROP 2014-2020.

The Commission website https://cohesiondata.ec.europa.eu/programmes/2014IT16M2OP006, however, suggests there is a worrying delay.

This concern is also shared by the Court of Auditors’ Regional Audit Office, which, in its very recent ruling on the official recognition of the annual accounts reported by the Calabria Region, highlights persistent problems and ‘significant delays’ in the management of the ROP, the trend of which has not changed substantially in comparison with previous years.

Can the Commission therefore answer the following questions:

1.

What are the current ROP spending targets as at 31 December 2018?

2.

Does it not consider it necessary for the Calabria Region to update and adequately inform citizens and the staff involved about the progress of the certified expenditure?

3.

How many operations and projects to date, and for what amount, fall under the Calabria regional operational programme for 2014-2020, but were originally due to receive funding from different sources?